Band Interview: Kaoteon

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life are very pleased to bring you an interview with the mastermind behind the extreme metal collaboration, Kaoteon. You can read a review of their excellent new album, Damnatio Memoriae here.

1. Tell us a bit about the origins of Kaoteon.

Anthony Kaoteon: I started the band in 1998 as a one man band struggling to find other members in Beirut until I met Walid from Phoenician city Tyr in 2001 who has been the only permanent member ever since as the vocal powerhouse of the band. Kaoteon is a straightforward blow in the face of tyranny, racism, sexism, sectarianism and all those who bend the rules to feed their greed whilst the people suffer to realize that their guardians are their wards.

2. From what we know you’ve been victims of heavy censorship in the past. Could you tell us a bit about what you’ve been through?

Anthony Kaoteon: We’ve been accused of things we are far from being guilty of such as devil worshipping in a country where that is illegal. We have no interest whatsoever in worshipping anyone or anything, free from submission that believe in the power of the mind and free will. We were stopped on stage several times and once arrested for several nights but I always think that this is what made us go Louder, Heavier and Stronger than ever before.

3. How did you stay motivated to make music under such circumstances?

Anthony Kaoteon: If you are not motivated by passion of music. You cannot compose music and nothing can stop a mind from what it is coded to do. My brain is always composing music.

4. Tell us a bit about the new album. What themes (if any) surround it?

Anthony Kaoteon: Eradicate all memory of the past, of the idols, of what makes people cluster each others and feed on each other. Damn all memory of all that makes the world but one.

5. How did the collaboration with Linus & Fredrik come about?

Anthony Kaoteon: I recorded with Linus already with my other band “Death Drive”. An album that will be out later this year and then asked him if he is interested to record with Kaoteon. After I recruited Fredrik from Marduk following Slovenia’s metal days festival in 2016 as a guest musician.

6. Has the rise of streaming services/YouTube helped or hindered you as a band?

Anthony Kaoteon: At the beginning, I hated these platforms as it ripped the money from artists and labels. However, I must admit that streaming websites is what got us to release the demo in 2003 in the USA with “Unsung Heroes Records”, “Veni Vidi Vomui” with “Osmose Productions” in 2011 and reach guys like you nowadays. So I guess it all helped.

7. Games, Brrraaains (Horror) & Head-Banging? What keeps you busy when you’re not making music?

Anthony Kaoteon: I lead a very tiring office job as I have a lot of dues especially that my country offers nothing for free. Not even access to any country without a visa so we have to pay for every single thing that we do. Other than that, I enjoy a glass of bourbon while watching live bands or a good series like Peaky Blinders

8. What are touring plans, if any and what’s next for Kaoteon?

Anthony Kaoteon: No planned tour as we have daily jobs that we cannot leave behind at the moment. Unless tours can make us money but we planned shows that will hopefully materialise soon.

[amazon_link asins=’B078YHK4KN,B078YHNKZ3,B078YHMSTV,B078YGW4ZK’ template=’UseThisOne’ store=’g0e5b-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’d19dfe57-1458-11e8-a2c4-97fc75b5d29b’]

We’d like to thank Anthony Kaoteon for taking the time to speak with us! You can order the album via Bandcamp & via Amazon above. Find out more about Kaoteon on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and check out some of their tracks on SoundCloud and YouTube.